Giuliani Says New Ad Uses 9/11 Imagery Proportionally

December 28, 2007

By JENNIFER PARKER

ABC News' Jan Simmonds reports: In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this morning Rudy Giuliani, R-N.Y., was asked by a reporter whether he thought that using 9/11 imagery in his new television ad could turn off voters.

"Well, it only uses them (images from 9/11), I think, in a proportionate way," Giuliani said. "And other candidates have done it. I believe Hillary Clinton has. President Bush did in the last campaign. I think that, I believe that some other candidates have also done it."

This morning, the Giuliani Campaign released its first national television ad entitled "Freedom."

The ad compares, both in its words and visually, World War II's so-called "Greatest Generation" with the heroes who risked their lives during the attacks of September 11, 2001.

"It is part of my life. It is part of my life that helps to define me," he added. "It isn't the only part of my life. But it would seem to me that maybe the critics want you to, like, remove a part of your life in which people have every right to draw judgments about how you would handle a crisis, how you would handle a difficult situation, how you would handle terrorism."

Giuliani went on to note that he has also run several other ads about fiscal conservatism and his record before 9/11 as Mayor of New York City.

"I think, if you look at all the ads we've run, this is very proportionate emphasis on something that was an important part of my life but by no means my whole life," said Giuliani.

The ad was released to the press before the explosion in Pakistan today that took the life of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.